Nurture. That is something we want our children to learn how to do. At Orlando Torah Academy, the first grade is getting a hands-on lesson on how to nurture as well as protect. As part of their science curriculum, the first graders have studied life cycles in nature. Students have learned about life cycles of plants and bean seeds to see firsthand how roots, stems, and leaves develop. They also studied butterfly, fish, and frog life cycles. Their studies culminated with learning about the life cycle of the chicken while incubating a brood of chicks. 

The first-grade students watched the embryos develop within the egg. During this incubation time, the students took their role of protectors very seriously. Their teacher had brought in a large enclosure to safeguard the eggs. The young students were instructed as to the fragile nature of the eggs as the chicks develop. So, they made signs explaining the need to be careful around the enclosure and not to walk past the tape that marked off a safe distance from the enclosure.

Finally, the students experienced the excitement of having six healthy chicks hatch. They shared that event with the whole school through the live streaming of the hatching to a TV stationed outside the first-grade classroom. This section of the school became very popular of the two days of hatching. Students and teachers found reasons to walk by the video feed. Now the first graders are observing, monitoring, and protecting the development of the chicks as they begin to grow. As each grade has visited the chicks, the first-graders have been their guides in holding the chicks gently. To culminate this hands-on experience each first-grader was allowed to take the chicks home to care for them overnight.

For more information about OTA, contact the office today for a tour at 407-270-4936 or email orlandotorah@gmail.com.